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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14S80 

(716)  372-4503 


<5> 


^ 


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1 

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shall  contain  the  symbol  -—^  (meaning  "CON- 
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filmage. 

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par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiimis  en  commandant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symboie  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

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filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cSichi,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  ik  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  la  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
iiiustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1  2  3 

if  R  A 

-=-  ,j  -as- 


K'l 

IB 

REPORT,  OR  MANIFESTO 


ty 


OF  THE 


CAUSES  AND  REASONS 


Of 


liil  f 
fli 


:'. 


PRESENTED  TO  THE 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES 


8T 


THE  COMMITTEE  OF  FOREIGN  RELATIONS. 


JUNE  3,   1812. 
Read,  and  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table. 


WASHINGTON  : 


A.  &  G.  WAY,  PRINTERS 


!    A' 


1812. 


pTifP 


V 


*'**>  ^ 


in 


/cy^,  ^^t^^^^ 


REPORT. 


The  coimnittee  on  foreign  relations  to  whom  was 
rejerred  the  message  of  the  president  of  the 
United  States,  of  the  1st  of  June^  1812, 

REPORT.... 

THAT  after  the  experience  which  the  United 
States  have  had  of  the  great  injustice  of  the  British 
government  towards  them,  exemplified  by  so  many 
acts  of  violence  and  oppression,  it  will  be  more  diffi- 
cult to  justify  to  the  impartial  world  their  patient  for- 
bearance, than  the  measures  to  which  it  has  become 
necessary  to  resort,  to  avenge  the  wrongs  and  vindi- 
cate the  rights  and  honor  of  the  nation.  Your  com- 
mittee are  happy  to  observe,  on  a  dispassionate  view 
of  the  conduct  of  the  United  States,  that  they  see  in 
it  no  cause  for  censure. 

If  a  long  forbearance  under  injuries  ought  ever  to 
be  considered  a  virtue  in  any  nation,  it  is  one  which 
peculiarly  becomes  the  United  States.  No  people 
ever  had  stronger  motives  to  cherish  peace :  none 
have  ever  cherished  it  with  greater  sincerity  and  zeal. 

But  the  period  has  now  arrived,  when  the  United 
Stales  must  support  their  character  and  station  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  or  submit  to  the  most  shame- 
ful degradation.  Forbearance  has  ceased  to  be  a  vir- 
tue. War  on  the  one  side,  and  peace  on  the  other, 
is  a  situation  as  ruinous  as  it  is  disgraceful.  The  mad 
ambition,  the  lust  of  power  and  commercial  avarice 
of  Great  Britain,  arrogating  to  herself  the  complete 
dominion  of  the  ocean,  and  exercising  over  it  an  un- 
bounded and  lawless  tyranny,  have  left  to  neutral 


'f- 


•  !  t 


li     I 


1^ 


nations  an  alternative  only  between  the  base  surrender 
of  their  rights,  and  a  manly  vindication  of  ihcm.  Hap- 
pily for  the  United  States  their  destiny,  under  the  aid 
of  Heaven,  is  in  their  own  hands.  The  crisis  is  for- 
midable only  by  their  love  of  peace.  As  soor.  as  it 
becomes  a  duty  to  relinquish  tint  biluacion,  danf^er 
disappears.  They  have  suffered  no  wronj^s,  'hey 
have  received  no  insults,  however  great,  for  which 
they  cannot  obtain  redress. 

More  than  seven  years  have  elapsed,  since  the  com- 
mencement of  this  system  of  hostile  aggression  by 
the  British  government,  on  the  rights  and  interests  of 
the  United  States.  The  manner  of  its  commence- 
ment was  not  less  hostile  than  the  spirit  with  which  it 
has  been  prosecuted.  The  United  States  have  inva- 
riably done  every  thing  in  their  power  to  preserve  the 
relations  of  friendship  with  Great  Britain.  Of  this 
disposition  they  gave  a  distinguished  proof  at  the  mo- 
ment when  they  wd:re  made  the  victims  of  an  opposite 
policy.  The  wrongs  of  the  last  war  had  not  been  for- 
gotten at  the  commencement  of  the  present  one. 
They  warned  us  of  dangers,  against  which  it  was 
sought  to  provide.  As  early  as  the  year  1804,  the 
minister  of  the  United  States  at  London  Was  instruct- 
ed to  invite  the  British  government  to  enter  into  a 
negotiation  on  all  the  points  on  which  a  collision 
might  arise  between  the  two  countries,  in  the  course 
of  the  war,  and  to  propose  to  it  an  arrangement  of 
their  claims,  on  fair  and  reasonable  conditions.  The 
invitation  was  accepted.  A  negotiation  had  commen- 
ced and  was  depending,  and  nothing  had  occurred  to 
excite  a  doubt  that  it  would  not  terminate  to  the  sa- 
tisfaction of  both  the  parties.  It  was  at  this  time,  and 
under  these  circumstances,  that  an  attack  was  made, 
by  surprise,  on  an  important  branch  of  the  American 
commerce,  which  affected  every  part  of  the  United 
States,  and  involved  many  of  their  citizens  in  ruin. 

The  commerce  on  which  this  attack  was  so  unex- 
pectedly made,  was  that  between  the  United  States 


and  the  colonies  of  France  Smin  nn,i     *i 


raiice, 
commerce 


lemn  act  l.e  tee.    t  e  n°        '  '^"'"'°»«d  by  u  so. 

«ar ;  and  san^i::^, '  .i:::::;^^"^;;!  t-in 

5  uicii  tupstd,  without  any  interference  xvith  it 

law  of  nations   we   i        i^;,  !"''  "'"\'^'«'"y  admitted 

venerable  cod;.      t""  sovlrd^r'T  '"  "  '"  ""■" 
co.extensive  uiih  ;rJ,i   ■^".*':'^"e'"}'  "f  every  state  is 

gated. orcimii , '  ?i:i;:r.',r;:' '""""''- "''-■ 

by  conquest.     N.  u.ral  naU t'  1  ave  a  X';^"^" 
o  every  port  of  either  belligerent  will-  ■"'''' 

ly  blockaded  ;  and  in  all  anic le  'ul,  I,  "  "°'  ''*^'''- 
t^band  of  war.  Such  is  the  abs  d  -Tf  T  <^°"- 
tension,  that  your  committee  are  a,»r?  " 'M're- 
ter  the  able  manner  in  uhich  i,  ,n  i'  "P,^<="'"y  »'- 
reftttedand  exposed,  t    t   1,'    "o"kl  off"  '"'''°^T 

to  the  understanding  of  the  houe^fh  ?"  '"'"" 
it;  and  if  any  thine"Li^ldLrt?n  ,V    ,  •  P"'''''g^don 

injustice  of  t'he  Brili  rive  'n,  "enUnl'  f""  "'"'^ 
"  would  be  the  contras?whi"h  her  conduct 'rr!°"- 
'"  regard  to  this  trade,  and  in  reird  ?n  .  ■  •?"'"''"' 
by  neutrals,  with  her  mvn  coonS  'j,?'?''""'"''^ 
!he  world  that  Great  Britain  eg  dates  ero^^nT ,'° 
in  war  and  in  ncace  at  hnm/.  o  ^,  ."7  "^^  own  trade, 

she  finds  for  h^rlm^r:  '  X  "in  wa  Ih:"";"'"'  ^ 
restraints  of  her  colonial  syst   n  in  fa  4  „?'  ^ "  ' « 

"'"•  ""''  "^^'  '=  -"•  was^ugges^d  IKtd  t: 


l!f| 


6 


^1: 


^* 


a  right  to  do  it ;  or  that  a  neutral  in  taking  advantage 
of  the  relaxation  violated  a  belligerent  right  of  her 
enemy.  But  with  Great  Britain  every  thing  is  lavv- 
ful.  It  is  only  in  a  trade  with  Her  enemies,  that  the 
United  States  can  do  wrong :  with  them  all  trade  is 

unlawful.  1     TJ  • 

In  the  year  1793  an  attack  was  made  by  the  an- 
tish  government  on  the  same  branch  of  our  neutral 
trade,  which  had  nearly  involved  the  two  countries  in 
war.  That  difference  however  was  amicably  accom- 
modated. The  pretension  was  withdrawn  and  repa- 
ration  made  to  the  United  States  for  the  losses  which 
they  had  suffered  by  it.  It  was  fair  to  infer  from 
that  arrant^ement,  that  the  commerce  was  deemed  by 
the  British  government  lawful,  and  that  it  would  not 
be  again  disturbed. 

Had  the  British  government  been  resolved  to  con- 
test this  trade  wntluieutrals,  it  was  due  to  the  charac- 
tcr  of  the  British  nation  that   the  decision  should 
be   made  known  to  the  government  ot  the  United 
States.     The  existence  of  a  negotiation  which  had 
been  invited  by  our  government,  for  the  purpose  ot 
preventing  differences,  by  an  amicable  arrangement  ot 
iheir  respective  pretensions,  gave  a  strong  cU'im  to 
the  notification,  while  it  afforded  the  fliiresl  opportnni^ 
ty  for   it.     But  a  very  difterent  policy  animated  the 
then  cabinet  of  England.  Generous  sentiments  were 
'    unknown  to  it.     The  liberal  confidence  and  friendly 
overtures  of  the  United  States  were  taken  advantage 
of  to  ensnare  them.   Steady  to  its  purpose  and  intiex- 
ibly  hostile  to  this  country,  the  British  government 
calmly  looked  forward  to  the  moment  when  it  might 
give  the  most  deadly  wound  to  our  interests.     A 
trade,  just  in  itself,  which  was  secured  by  so  many 
strong  and  sacred  pledges,  was  considered  safe.  Our 
citizens,  with  their  usual  industry  and  entcrpnze,  had 
embarked  in  it  a  vast  proportion  of  their  shipping  and 
of  their  capital,  which  were  at  sea  under  no  other  pro- 
vction  than  the  law  of  nations,  and  the  confidence 


f!^ 


~' *:;  c'ssi',:';;"  ■""''  -:""  '•■*' 
'^Jd  r 's -'»  srsK'S 

itrgaidecl,  no  sordid  motives  felt      VVJthr.Mt  i     i  • 

from  1\LZb!:,  "•"t'  •^°='^'  °f  ""^  ^°"'i"ent 
in  a  s  ate  o  hln.l  ?  '  "''^'"^,"'<^-  "-"^  declared  to  be 
Ult,i      •     •  7°'^''''df  •     By  ihis  act,  ti.e  well  estab 

""zed  Iv  G  R  t»     u  ^^'  ;?'=  '""^  °''  "^"°"^.  "s  recog. 
im  it  h.      f  ^'^""herself,  no  blockade  is  lawful  un. 

i)lock;de1nt  fi  m'''"!"'""  ''°'='=  ''^  "PPli^d  to  this 
VVl^ther'r   n  •      '""'■"•  ,°"S'«  "»'  'o  be  pretended: 

x.cnMve  a  blockade,  considering  the  warl  ,Jhich 


Ml 


she  is  engaged,  requiring  such  extensive  naval  opera- 
tions,  is  a  (lucstion  vvhidi  it  is  not  iiecessary  at  this  time 
to  txamine.  It  is  sufficient  to  be  known  that  such  torcc 
was  not  applied,  and  this  is  evident  iVoni  the  terms  ot 
tlie  blockade  itself,  by  which,  comparatively,  an  in- 
considerable portion  of  the  coast  only,  was  declaretl 
to  be  in  a  state  of  strict  and  rigorous  blockade.     1  lie 
objection  to  the  measure  is  not  diminished  by  that 
circumstance.  If  ihe  force  was  not  applied,  the  block- 
ade was  unlawful,  from  whatever  cause  the  tailurc 
mit?ht  proceed.     The  belligerent  who  institutes  the 
blockade  cannot  absolve  itself  from  the  obliganon  to 
apply  the  force,  under  any  pretext  whatever,     tor  a 
belligerent  to  relax  a  bloekade  which  it  could   not 
maintain,  with  a  view  to  absolve  itself  from  the  obli- 
gation to  maintain  it,  would  be  a  refinement  in  injus- 
Fice  not  less  insulting  to  the  understandmg  than  re. 
puenant  to  the  law  of  nations.     To  claim  merit  ior 
the  mitigation  of  an  evil  which  the  party  either  !vad 
not  the 'power,  or  found  it   inconvenient  to  mllict, 
would  be  a  new   mode  of  encroaching  on  neutral 
rights.'  Your  committee  think  it  just  to  remark,  that 
this  act  of  the   British  government   does   not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  adopted   in  the  sense  in  which 
it  has  been  since  construed.     On  consideration  ol  all 
the  circumstances  attending  the  measure,  and  parti- 
cularly  the  character  of  the  distinguished  statesman 
who  announced  it,  we  are  persuaded  that  it  was  con- 
ceived in  a  spirit  of  conciliation,  and  intended  to  lead 
to  an  accommodation  of  all  differences  between  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain.     His  death  disap- 
pointed  that   hope,   and  the  act  has  since  become 
Lubserviem  to  other  purposes.     It  has  bt^en  made 
by  his  successors  a  pretext  for  that  vast  system  ot 
usurpation,  which  has  so  long  oppressed  and  harras- 

sed  our  commerce.  .  . 

The  next  act  of  the  British  government  whicli 
claims  our  attention,  is  the  order  of  council  ot  lanua- 
rv7   1807,  by  which  neutral  powers  arc  prolnbitca 


trading  from  one  port  to  another  oF  France,  or  lier 


lies 


or  any  other  country  with  uliich  G.  B 


J         -<-^.  .m    T      »« III    Will 

not  freely  trade.    By  this  order  ili 


ritiiin 


al- 
might 


1,;,  .  r  r'  ,■■.•■•'"■."•-■  ""-  pretension  01  i.t\. 
„....„,  heretofore  disclaimed  !)v  every  ntlitr  power  to 
proM3.t  netitrals  disposing  of  pur.s^of  thei?  c    g^  s 

with  vast   accumulation  of  injury.     Jivery  eiiemr 
howevergrea.  the  number,  or  distant  from  eaci  Xr.' 
IS  considered  one,  and  the  like  trade  even  with  now 

7,::Tr  t\  f "«'^'"'''  "■''"■  f^°"'  native ,  pi 

licy.  had  excluded  or  restrained  her  commerce,  was 
also  prohibited.     In  this  act,  the  British  government 

Aware  that  the  measures  authorized  by  it.  could 
find  no  .'.--ex.,  in  any  belligerent  rightf  ile  "wt 
nT.f  •         P'^°'''h«,'''«  S"'<^  "I  our  produce,  consist- 
ng  of  innocent  articles,  at  any  port  of  a  be  ligeren 
no   blockaded  ;  to  consider  eve/y  belligerent  as  one 

If  there  was  but  one,  were  bold  encroachments.     But 
^restrain   or  in  a,.y  manner  interfere  «  „h  our  cm," 
merce  with  neutral  nations,  with  whom  Great  B,^ua 

cause  o'rr-  "r  "  T"'\  ""^""^  ^'"--  '■^"'  -  jus!  i  b  c 
cause  of  war,  for  the  sole  reason  that  they  restrained 

or  excluded  from  their  ports  her  comnie^ce  w™  ut 
criy  incompatible  with  'the  pacific  relat  o,    'Jibsis t.' 
ing  between  the  two  countries. 

We  proceed  to  bring  into  view  the  British  order  i„ 
council  of  November  11,   ,807,  whfc     supers^ed 
every  other  order,  and  consummated  that  system  of 
hostility  on  the  commerce  of  the  United  States,  w^ich 
has  been  since  so  steadily  pursued.     By  this  order  » 
trance  and  her  allies,  and  every  other  country  at  war 
with  Grea  Britain,  or  with  which  she  was  not  at  war 
from  wh„;h  the  British  flag  was  excluded,  and  all  the 
colotjies  of  her  enemies,  were  subjected  o  the  same 

mo^t'tt^rf'  "h"-"''^  ""^  """"'■i'  blockaded  iAI 
most  strict  and  rigorous  manner ,  and  all  trade  in  ar 

'-oles,  the  produce  and  manufacture  of  the  saitleo,  m 


M 


;  li^ 


10 


tries  and  colonies,  and  the  vessels  engaged  in  it,  were 
subjected  to  capture  andv  condemnation  as  lawiul 
prize.  To  this  order  certain  exceptions  were  mado 
nhicii  we  forbear  to  notice,  because  they  were  not 
adopted  fron\  a  regard  to  neutral  rights,  but  were  dic- 
tated bv  policy  to  promote  the  commerce  of  En- 
g];i!xl  and  so  far  as  ihcy  related  to  neutral  powers, 
W(  re  said  to  emanate  from  the  clemency  of  the  Bu- 
tish  governrnenr. 

Itwould  be  superfluous  in  your  committee  to  state, 
that  by  this  order  the  British  government  declared 
direct  ;;'id  positive  war  against  the  United  States. 
The  dominion  of  du  ocean  was  completely  usurped 
by  it,  all  commerce  forbidden,  and  every  flag  driven 
from  it,  or  subjected  to  capture  and  condemnation, 
which  did  not  subserve  tiie  policy  of  the  British  go- 
vernment  by  paying  it  a  tribute  and  sailing  under  its 
sanction.  From  this  period  the  United  States  have 
incurred  the  heaviest  losses,  and  mo-st  mortifying  hu- 
miliations. They  have  borne  d^e  calamities  of  war 
without  retorting  ihem  on  its  authors. 

So  lar  your  committee  has  presented  to  the  view  of 
the  house,  the  agi^ressions  uhich  have  been  commit- 
ted under  the  authority  of  the  Briii.^h  govmiment 
on  the  commerce  of  the  United^  States.     We  will 
now  procc  ed  to  other  wrongs  which  have  been  still 
more  severely  felt      Amor.g  these  is  the  impressment 
of  our  seamen,  a  practice  whieh  has  been  unceasing- 
Iv  mninlained  b}  Great  Britain  in  the  wars  to  whieh 
sne   has  been  a  party  since  our  revolution.     Your 
conimirtee  cannot  convey  in  adrquale  terms  the  deep 
sense  v^hich  they  entertain  of  the  iiijnstice  and  op -^ 
pression  oi  this 'proceeding.     UndtT  tlie  pretext  ol 
impressing  Britisli  seamen,  onr  UAUjW  citizens  are 
!seiz-d  in  Briusli  ports,  on  the  high  seas,  and  in  every 
other  quaricr  to  which  live  British  power  extends;  are 
taken  on  board  Erlti^h  men  of  war,  and  (.ompelled  to 
serve  there  as  Eiitish  subjects.     In  this  mode  our 
citizens  are  wantonlv  snaU-'ied  from  their  coimlry  and 


!"      ■  'i    II. 


11 

their  lamilii^s  ;  deprived  of  tlieir  liberty  and  doomed 
to  an  ignonunious  and  sluvibh  londuge ;  compclkd 
lo  fight  the  Datdcs  of  a  loreign  couiury,  and  often  to 
perish  in  them.  Our  flag  has  given  ihtrn  no  protec- 
tion ;  it  has  been  unceasingly  violated,  and  our  ves- 
sels  exposed  to  danger  by  the  loss  of  the  men  taken 
from  thvm.     Your  committtc  need  not  rcmr.rk  that 
while  this  practice  is  cor\tinued,  it  is  impLs->ible  for 
the  United  States  to  consider  themselves  an  inde- 
pendent nation.      Every  new  case  is  a  new  proof  of 
their  degradation.     Its  continuance  is  the  more  un- 
justifiable, because  the  Unittd  States  have  repeatedly 
proposed  to  the  British  goverjiment  an  arrangement 
which  would  secure  to  it  iIk-  controul  of  its  own  peo- 
ple.    An  exemption  of  the  citizms  of  the  United 
States  from  this  degrading  oppression,  and  their  flaj? 
Irom  violation,  is  all  that  they  have  sought. 

This  lawless  waste  of  cur  t'rade,  and  equally  unlaw- 
ful  impressment  of  our  scanit n,  have  been  much  ag- 
grav'Ued  by  the  insults  and  indignities  attending  them. 
Under  the  pretext  of  blockading  thr  harbors  ofFrance 
and  her  allies,  British  squadrons  have  been  stationed 
on  our  own  coast,  to  watch  and  annoy  our  own  trade. 
To  give  ( ffect  to  the  blockude  of  Kiiropean  ports,  the 
pons  aid  liaibors  of  the  U,  States  have  been  block- 
aded.    In  ex;  cuting  these  orders  of  the  Britisii  go- 
vernment, or  in  obeying  the  spirit  which  was  known 
to  animate  it,  the  c  mmandets  of  these  squadrons 
have  encroached  on  our  jurisdiction,  seized  our  ves- 
sels and  carried  into  effect  impressments  within  our 
limits,  and  done  other  acts  of  great  injustice,  vio'ence 
and  oppression.     The  United  Slates  have  seen'with 
mingled  indignation  and  surprise,  that  these  acts  in- 
slead  of  procuring  to  the  perpetrators  the  punishment 
duo  to  unauthorized  crimes,  have  not  failed  lo  recom- 
mend  them  to  the  favor  of  their  government. 

Whettier  the  B:itish  government  has  contributed 
by  active  measures  to  excite  against  w^  the  hostility 
of  the  savage  tribes  on  our  frontiers,  your  committee 


III 


■'    '4 


§^ 


ii\ 


I 


1-2 

iire  not  disposed  to  occupy  much  time  in  investigat- 
ing. Certain  indications  of  general  notoriety  may 
supply  the  place  of  authentic  documeiits,  though  these 
have  rot  been  wanting  to  establish  the  fact  in  some 
instances  It  is  known  that  symptoms  of  British  hos- 
tility towards  the  United  States  have  never  failed  to 
produce  corresponding  symptoms  among  those  tribes. 
It  is  also  well  known  that  on  all  such  occasions,  abun- 
dant supplies  of  the  ordinary  munitions  of  war  have 
been  afforded  by  the  agents  of  British  commercial 
companies,  and  even  from  British  garrisons,  where- 
with they  were  enabled  to  commence  that  system  of 
savage  warfare  on  our  frontiers,  which  has-been  at  all 
times  indiscriminate  in  its  effect,  on  all  ages,  sexes  and 
conditions,  and  so  revolting  to  humanity. 

Your  committee  would  be  much  gratified  if  they 
could  close  here  the  detail  of  British  wrongs ;  but  it 
is  their  duty  to  recite  another  act  of  still  greater  malig- 
nily,  than  any  of  those  whichhave  been  already  brought 
ti)  your  view.  The  attempt  to  dismember  our  union, 
iind  overthrow  our  excellent  constitution  by  a  secret 
liiission,  the  object  of  which  was  to  foment  discon- 
tents and  excite  insurrection  against  the  constituted 
authorities  and  laws  :.{'  die  nation,  as  lately  disclosed 
by  the  auent  employed  in  it,  r.ff  >rds  full  proof  that 
th{ ' ;  ;:.  no  bound  to  the  hostility  of  the  British  go- 
vernment towards  the  United  States  :  no  act,  how- 
ever unjustifiable,  which  it  would  not  commit  to  ac- 
complish their  ruin.  This  attempt  excites  the  greater 
horror,  from  the  considerntioii  that  it  was  made  while 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  were  at  peace, 
and  an  amicabl"  negotiation  was  depending  between 
them  for  the  accommodation  of  their  differences, 
through  public  ministers  regularly  authorized  for  the 
purpose. 

The  United  States  have  beheld  with  unexampled 
forbearance,  this  continued  series  of  hostile  encroach, 
ments  on  their  rights  and  interests,  in  the  hope,  that 
yielding  to  the  force  of  friendly  remonstrances,  often 


18 

i-epeatcd,  the  British  Rovernment  mmh.  „^    , 
,     ,|u.t  policy  towards  fhcm;  "ur.K„e  P!'','^'-* 
exists.     l_|,ey  have  also  w  ighed  impar"fallv^hr'^'' 
sons  tyhich  have  been  urged  bv  th7Br  i  h^  1     '"*^" 
ment    n   vindiratmn  ^c  ,u       '         ormsh  govern- 

found  in  iS  S  her  ius  ifir,-  ""=™^^''"'^'«s.  and 
•ri,„  n  '!•  L  '"^""^'^  justification  nor  apolo^v 

oftVrofd™te™r"h' tTh''''^^"'"'  "'"^'-"o- 

a  retaliation  on  Fra"ce  for\ll^7  "'"'"  -"esorted  to  as 

have  been  .arkeV whh  toJwT,e°aKfri'c7"" 
waste  of  ihe  pro,,erty  of  our  fdlotv  citizens   tn'!'  ^ 

\Z  iS'^"-  1^1  <^^"^^  of  Brrii"oTN;t™b:r 

presen  wf;  "  k"],'  "^^'''gSression  of  Francerthe 

trade  with  the  colonie^s  of  France  ad  L-l'i"'"'^' 
SIX  months  from  the  date  JlhTZ  ■  ''"'^«'  '"^ 

1806.     Even  on  the  7,h  5  i    P™<='^™"on  of  Mav, 

bv   '^  ^'  '"orted  to  -till  the  neutral  had  justified  h 

o  h  rtC -''"ir--  -  '^  unlawfui"  ctif  ,^ 

ni«^i  uciijgerent.     It  ought  to  be  delavfrl  .,«»:i    r 
sufficient  time  had  been  allowed  to  thrnl""""" 
monstrate  against  the  measures  compfained'of    o  '" 
ceive  an  answer,  and  to  act  on  ii  Tk-  .  k  j    '  '°  '^*- 
done  in  the  present  ■n.itnr.      "i**^^'^'?  had  not  been 

of  November   !h  was  Usued    h""  ''V.'^'  "'"^^ 
a  minister  of  FranceNd  deda^d  .o  7\^^"-T  "j" 

...e  United  ^^^^  ^^:^i::^:^:: 


m' 


i  ■ 
s  ■ 


i  'l: 


\i\ 


14 

American  vessel  had  then  been  condemned  under  it, 
or  seizure  been  made,  with  which  the  British  govern, 
ment  was  acquainted.     The  facts  prove  incontestibly 
that  the  measures  of  France,  however  unjustifiable  m 
tiiemselves,  were   nothing  more   than  a  P''^'t^'^„t  i^;; 
those  of  England.     And  of  the  insufficiency  of  that 
pretext,  ample  proof  has  already  been  afforded  by  the 
British  government  itself,  and  in  the  most  impressive 
form.     Although  it  was  declared  that  the  orders  m 
council  were  retaliatory  on  France  for  her  decrees   . 
was  also  declared,  and  in  the  ord.rs  themselves,  that 
owin^  to  the  superiority  of  the  British  navy  by  wh.ch 
the  fleets  of  France  and  her  allies  were  confined  wuh- 
in  their  own  ports,  the  French  decrees  were  consider- 
ed  onlv  as  emptv  threats. 

It  is  no  justification  of  the  wrongs  of  one  power, 
that  the  like  uerc?  committed  by  another  ;  nor  oagh 
the  fact,  if  t'-ue,  to  have  been  urged  by  either,  as   t 
could  afford  no  proof  of  its  love  of  justice,  of  its 
magnanimity,  or  even  of  its  courage.    It  is  more  wor- 
thy  the  G-overnment  of  a  great  nation  to  relieve  than  to 
assail  the  injured.  Nor  can  a  repetition  of  the  wro.gs 
by  another  power  repair  the  violated  rights  or  wound, 
ed  honor  of  the  injured   party.     An  utter  inability 
alone  to  resist,  could  justily  a  qtnet  surrender  ot  our 
rio-hts,   and  degrading    submission   to   the    will    o 
ethers      To  that  condition  the  United  States  are  not 
reduced,  nor  do  they  fear  it.     That  they  ever  con. 
sented  to  discuss  with  either  power  the  misconduct 
of  the  other,  is  a  proof  of  their  love  of  peace,  of  then 
moda-ation,  and  of  the  hope  which  they  still  indulged, 
that  friendly  appeals  to  just  and  generous  sentiments 
would  not  be  made  to  them  in  vain.     But  tht  mo- 
tive  was  mistaken,  if  their  forbearance  was  imputed 
either  to  the  want  of  a  jtist  sensibility  to  their  wrongs, 
or  a  determination,  if  suitable  redress  was  not  obtain- 
ed, to  resent  them.     The  time  has  now  arrived  when 
this  system  of  reasoning  must  cease.     It  would  be 
insuking  to  repeat  it.     It  would  be  degrading  to  h.ac 


15 

it.     The  United  States  must  act  as  an  independenl 
nat,o„,   and   assert   their   rights,    and  avenRe  their 
wnmgs,  according  to  their  onn  estimate  of  them 
wu n  the  par.y  who  commits  them,  holding  it  respon.' 
...blr^  for  ,ts  own  misdeeds,  t.nmitigated  by  thoie  of 

For  the  difference  made  between  Great  Britain  and 

France,  by  ih,e  apphcation  of  the  non-importaUon  act 

agamst  hngiand  only,  the  motive  has  C  a  ready 

00  olten  explained,  and  is  too  well  known  to  Se 

urther  dlnstration.     In  the  commercial  rest  ictions 

to  vh.ch  the  United  States  resorted  as  an  evidence  of 

he,,  senstbility.  and  a  mild  retaliati..,,,  of  the    w  ongs 

e^  hoWn'    '■'  '"'"'''  5'"'"  1'°^''^^^  "'*  'he  same  f^f  : 

accommodation,  .n  case  it  accepted  the  condition  ofttr- 

refns  d  '"nTf  'p"?  ""''''  "'^  ^"'"^  restraint?  it 
refused.     Had  the  British  government  confirmed  the 
arrangemem  which  was  entered  into  with  the  B   tish 
mimster  „,  1809,  and  France- maintained  her  decrees 
nth  France  would  the  United  States  have  had'ore: 

thc'Z-    \  **  ■"!""'  '^'^'""Sing  to  their  character, 
the  continued  violation  of  dieir  rights.     The  com 
>n..lee  do  not  hesitaie  to  declare,  that  France  Ins 

in,K  R  '  "°,  ^'■-  ^^'"  '"'"'"  '■°'"  '"^"V  of  those 
inju.ies.  But  that  is  a  concern  which  the  United 
btates  Will  look  to  and  settle  for  themselves.     The 

P  fler.h'''  °^  H^'J^'^r"'"  P<^>'l'le,  is  a  sufficient 
pledge  to  the  world  that  they  will  mi  fail  to  settle  it. 
on  conditions  which  they  have  a  right  to  claim. 

More  recently  thr  true  policy  of  the  British  eovern 
men.  towards  the  United  States,  has  been  comS 
unfolded.  It  ha.  been  publicly  declared  bvTl  osll 
power  that  the  orders  in  council  should  not  be  repeij? 
ed  until  the  French  g„vern,r,ent  had  Wvoked  aK 
ntenud  restraints  on  the  Bri-i  .  commerce ;  anc  I  at 
he  trade  of  the  Unite  a  Staies  with  l-Vanc;  and  her 
alhcs,  should  be  prohibited,  until  Great  Britain  was 


i    ■ 


16 


also  allowed  to  trade  with  them.  By  this  declaration 
it  appears,  that  to  satisfy  the  pretensions  of  the  British 
government,  the  United  States  must  join  Great  Bri. 
tain  in  the  war  with  France,  and  prosecute  the  war 
until  France  should  be  subdued;  for  without  her 
subjugation,  it  were  in  vain  to  presume  on  such  a 
concession.  The  hostility  of  the  British  govern- 
ment  to  tl^se  states  has  been  still  further  disclosed. 
It  has  been  made  manisfest  that  the  United  Stales 
arc  considered  by  it  as  the  commercial  rival  of  Great 
Britain,  and  that  their  prosperity  and  growth  are  in- 
compatible  with  her  welfare.  When  all  these  circum- 
stances are  taken  into  cons'deration,  it  is  impossible 
for  your  committee  to  doubt  the  motives  which  have 
governed  the  British  ministry  in  all  its  measures  to- 
wards  the  United  States,  since  the  year  1805.  Equal- 
ly is  it  impossible  to  doubt,  longer,  the  course  which 
the  United  States  ought  to  pursue  towards  Great 
Britain. 

From  this  review  of  the  multiplied  wrongs  of  the 
British  government  since  the  commencement  of  the 
present  war,  it  must  be  evident  to  the  impartial  world, 
that  the  contest  which  is  now  forced  on  the  United 
States,  is  radically  a  contest  for  their  sovereignty  and 
independence.  Your  committee  will  not  enlarge  on 
any  of  the  injuries,  however  great,  which  have  had  a 
transitory  eftect.  They  wish  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  hcuse  to  those  of  a  permanent  nature  only,  which 
intrench  so  deeply  on  our  most  important  rights,  and 
wound  so  extensively  and  vitally  our  best  interests, 
as  could  not  fail  to  deprive  the  U,  States  of  the  princi- 
pal  advantages  of  their  revolution,  if  submitted  to. 
The  controul  of  our  commerce  by  G.  Britain  in  re- 
gulating, at  pleasure,  and  expelling  it  almost  from 
the  ocean  ;  the  oppressive  manner  in  which  these  re- 
gulations have  been  carried  into  effect,  by  seizing  and 
confiscating  such  of  our  vessels,  with  their  cargoes, 
as  were  said  to  have  violated  her  edicts,  often  with- 
out previous  warning  of  their  danger  ;  the  impress- 


17 

ment  orour  chi^ciislrom  on  board  our  own  vessels 

ESI  Eis|r!-r2^ 

the  only  co,iscc|uences  that  would  result  from  k  Th^ 
British  govemmtnt  might,  for  a  wlX  I?.  ,•  c  5 
with  the  ascendency  ,l,us  gain Jd  over  '"s  h!,r  •.'""' 
tensions  nould  soon  increfs^    The  proif  1  :J'''- 

^JTJSXtrrr— 

spire  confidence,  that  K  w  ^  notnit  to  Ir'h  "l' 
t^sin-pations,  and  our  degradatioV,' migt  '^.r^fcar! 

Your  committee,  believing  th„t  the  (ree  l>orn  son, 
of  America  are  >vorthy  to  enjoy  the  liberty  Vwch  thdr 

lence,  leel  no  hesitation  m  advising  resistance  hv 
io  e  i  in  which  the  Americans  of  the  ,  e  em  dav 
w.  1  prove  ,0  the  enemy  and  to  the  ivorld,  ,'Ct  vvHiave 
not  on  y  inherited  that  |ib..r,y  which  ou  father  Ze 
us,  but  also  the  uill  and  power  to  miintai,  i,       R^1 

battle  in  a  riehteous  p-mco         i  "^  ^ 

t„M.  '^^lii^uub  cause,   dwi  ci  nw.  our  rffitrtfi 


i^ 


I  'ii 


